The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-18
MAJ. MERIwkTHER.
mis- Statement rs 20 tho Charges oil
Jury man Shea.

MAJ. MERIWETHER.
mis- Statement rs 20 tho Charges o,
Juryman Shea.
An APPEAL reporter called on Msi
Niles Meriwether at his house lac,
evening and asked him what he had
to say in reply to the 81 bcturss or
his administration in the engineers
Office By the grand jury. He courteous
~ replied that he had not teen the re.
port and did not know its substance,
but said, al you will call later will
look into II, and II 1t Is necessary to
say anything I'll speak to you"
Returning an hour later, the Mejor
said: ~ have looked through the re-.
port hurriedly, aud while II Is not i'm.
portant for me to say anything, / will
say this much 10 the form OF q state.
meDt.
"Tne books and blank forms o, GO.
Inmates, pay rolls and vouchers kept
in the city engineers flee are such as
have been prescribed In great part by
the secretary and the full knowledge
Of the Fire and Police COMMISSIONS
There Is book kept into which is
entered all bills and vouchers Of what.
ever nsture, whether for the purchase
Of material or work done in paving and
other street improvements. This book
is classified, under number oil heads,
which heads are designed to show the
character Of work done, cost OF the
same, and whenever q voucher Ia
made IL is 30 entered In this book.
There is also book kept Of q similar
kind which shows the work done Ia
the sewer department Of the city
and classified In the same man.
ner. The vouchers or estimates
are made upon q blank which
has the sans feadinRs 40 are in
the general book Of entry. These
headings and blanks are also TO be
found In the office OF the secretary.
"rhe vouchers,or eetim ates, moving
the work done on streets or otherwise,
are a. q rule made fall, and show the
location and disposition Of the ma
tehal and work. They also show the
measurements, as fully ~ possible In
detail, when relating to the pavement
Of streets. As regards the book Of con.
tracts, there are two In the
office, into which nearly all the
work has been done In the city
whether under advert sements or not
entrits have been made and no worl
Of any great Importance has ever beer
done in the paving Of streets, alleys Of
walls or sewers, or the building Of
bridges, without the full knowledge
aud direct order or sanction OF the
Fire and Police Commissioners and
Legislative Council.
"rhe books OF the sewer department
as we'll a. those Tor the street depart
ment, with oil vouchers and estimates
are made with my full and intimAt,
knowledge, either personally or b,
Mr.. A. Ross, or such other help as
may from time TO time have had, an,
has heretofore been entirely satisfac
tory. As 10 the work done In tn
Taxing District in the engineer de-
partment, since / have been connecte,
with the same,it will show for itself.
have personally laid out and superin
tended In person at lesst one-third o
the entire work done, and have givel
the closest attention TO all that directl
under my assistants. As TO the cbarg
that l made surveys, or had super
vision OF work In Arkansas,
do iruthfully state tina
I was never in the State, 10 the ' eft o
my recollection, moie than four o
Ave times, and never made q surve.
or had charge Of work In that State
In the month Of July, 1879, | was cen
by order OF the Fire and Police Com
missioneis to lock for paving msteriS
(stonel on the line OF the Little Roc
and Fort Smith railroad, bu! with the
exception | have never had any busi
ness In the State.
"As regards the looking after worI
for railroads In the city, on this ride O
the river, In all the contracts enlere'
into with the several railroads an
the Taxing District, 1t 10 made incum
bent upon the city engineer 10 see /
the location and the manner Of cor
struction | the work Of said roads u
their contracts with the CITY. In o.
this work | have endeavored ttudioul
~ 10 guard every possible interest {
the city and the taxpayers, and TO o.
that the provisions OF the contract
have been carried out 10 the fi.lei
extent as Il was possible 10 be don,
The character OF the wor
done In the matter OF pawn
stres,s and walls, construction ,
culvtrls and other work, will Attes
how well II has been done. Ia trutl
I can say thai / have had thousand
OF dollars worth Of work done by SON
OF the railroads for the benefit Of tt
city and taxpayers, through my o.
I vice and counsel, which would M
hsye otherwiie tesn done and whlc
could not have been forced under
strict Interpretation OF the contrac
In my position ~ Taxing Distri'
engineer | have endeavored 10 ri,
the fullest measure Of my labor IN
abilities 40 On engineer TO the servi'
. aud requirements Of the ofiice."
> at 10 charged that the balances {
. your books are forced. What ba'
you 10 cay In rebu,tal Of ihis7"
ITO that / respec fully refer you
, Mr.. o. l.. Pullen, secretary OF u
: boardt, who will say whether | {
!. tempted TO make any forced balancl
y Ha Ia thorpuyhly familiar with All N